


the world is brighter than the sun (now that you're here)

by ftmpeter



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Gen, Peter Parker is a Mess, Platonic Cuddling, Sleepy Peter Parker, Tony Stark Does What He Wants, because we love that, that really just sums up irondad in general, their sarcasm combined could power a small country for at least a decade, there is so much sarcasm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2020-12-20 22:17:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21064088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ftmpeter/pseuds/ftmpeter
Summary: Peter can't, for the life of him, figure out when to take a break. Tony decides to fix this immediately.





	the world is brighter than the sun (now that you're here)

**Author's Note:**

> i'm currently trying to finish up another <strike>really, really sad</strike> irondad fic, so in the meantime, have this vaguely put-together fluffy thing to <strike>prepare you for the very depressing angst</strike> make you happy
> 
> ha
> 
> haha

It’s a little after eight in the evening when Tony checks in on Peter.

The kid’s sleeping over at the tower for the weekend, due to May needing to work a whole lot of overtime and neither of them particularly trusting enough to believe the kid wouldn’t manage to get himself into some kind of trouble. It's not actually that bad. They had messed around in the lab for a bit before Peter, who began to look more and more stressed as time went on, retreated to his bedroom, citing a "never-ending attack" of homework, and asked not to be distracted, even if there was the threat of imminent death, aliens vaporizing the city, or food.

Thankfully, only the last thing had happened. Tony had ordered Chinese from the restaurant a block or two away (mostly because they make the best damn egg rolls he’s ever had) and also made sure to get as large of an order that he could to satisfy Peter’s really, really fast metabolism. Like, _really_ fast. Forget the whole Spider-Man thing, his ability to eat anything and everything placed in front of him is the true sight to behold.

He opens the door, intent on dragging Peter away to eat, even though he had specifically said not to, because Tony does what he wants. It's a talent.

(Pepper says it's a pain in her ass, but he digresses.)

Usually, the slightest of sounds don't go unnoticed by Peter, because his enhanced senses alert them to him in a matter of seconds, but he has headphones in as he sits at his desk in the corner, music blaring in his ears loud enough that it's audible from all the way across the room. Tony can't help but wince. Did he really listen to music that loud when he was that age?

He's about to go over and - very carefully, because there's been numerous incidents involving Peter sticking to the ceiling and Tony almost getting socked in the face - tap him on the shoulder, but it's kind of fascinating to see the kid look so.. normal. Tony forgets, sometimes, that while Peter is sixteen, he rarely gets the chance to act like it. But here? Schoolwork sprawled everywhere, his knee bouncing to the beat of whatever song is playing? It's cute. It's borderline domestic.

Moving on.

It's clear that the work Peter is doing is frustrating him. He has a thick textbook flipped open, which honestly sort of looks like it could kill a man given the right amount of strength, with multiple pieces of paper surrounding him. Tony watches amusedly as Peter groans, dropping his head so it makes a loud _thunk_ against the desk. He straightens up after a moment, glaring at it like it's personally offended him.

"I'm gonna die," Peter declares to himself, whipping his headphones off and throwing them down on the table. Tony can barely contain his snicker. "I'm gonna die, and I'm gonna haunt whoever in the absolute hell invented AP classes, what the - "

"That seems like a waste of time," Tony says dryly, finally moving properly into the room. Peter jumps, spinning around in his chair so fast he almost falls off. "Besides, what if that person's dead? Are you going to haunt a dead person?"

The kid relaxes when he sees it's only Tony, and shoots a grin at him, despite how obviously exhausted he is. "Wouldn't that be better, though?"

"How on Earth would that be better?"

Peter gets a thoughtful look at that, seeming to actually consider the question. After a minute, he brightens. "Because, Mr. Stark! They can't file a restraining order if they're dead."

"You've said a lot of questionable things, kid, but that's a new one."

He waves a hand dismissively. "If you're both dead, you're like, on the same realm, right, so they can't get rid of you. That is _so_ smart - "

"How about you put that smarts towards finishing your homework, kid?" Tony jokes, taking a seat on the bed so he's right next to Peter. "You've been at it for what, three, four hours now?"

Peter's face drops ever so slightly. He glances at the mess on the table - notebooks askew, books open and pushed aside, and his enthusiasm immediately dies.

"Yeah," he sighs. "Yeah, I have."

Tony feels a strange pang of regret at those words. He didn't mean to make him even more stressed than he already was. _Damn it._

"What is it, anyway?" He asks, taking one of papers and peering at it. There's Peter familiar scribble, detailing something about the American Revolution. "And why are you doing it on a Friday evening? That's just boring, buddy."

Peter takes the paper from Tony's hands, a faint blush on his cheeks. "This is, uh, APUSH - US History. I have to do guided questions."

"But why do it now?" Tony repeats, suddenly aware of the fact that he's essentially encouraging the kid to procrastinate. He can practically feel May's glare from halfway across the city. "I mean, why not take a break? You have the whole weekend."

Peter shakes his head. "I can't, Mr. Stark."

"But - "

"I have twenty questions on this chapter - which is actually a lie, by the way, because each question has, like, a thousand mini questions following it - and I've only finished five, and then I have to finish the final draft of this essay for English about To Kill A Mockingbird, and then I have Calculus homework, and _then_ I have to study for a Spanish test. Spanish is so annoying. Flash just keeps calling me _pendejo_, which means - "

"I know what that means," Tony interrupts, making a mental note to find this Flash later and put the fear of God into him. "And Christ, Pete, _breathe._"

Peter stares at him for a moment, uncomprehendingly, before his natural instinct to, well, _survive_ kicks in, and he dramatically gasps for air.

Tony wants to chastise him for literally _forgetting to inhale_ somewhere in that stress-induced rant, but that would maybe be a little bit hypocritical, considering the fact that he himself runs off a mixture of caffeine and pure spite while also forgetting to eat more often than not, so he just decides to reach forward and slam the textbook closest to him shut.

"You, buddy, are officially taking a break."

"What?"

Tony nods, grabbing Peter's wrist and leading him away from the desk and out of the room before he can protest too much. "A break, you know, that thing where you don't work yourself to death? Ever heard of it?"

"That is rich coming from you," Peter scoffs, wrenching himself out of Tony's grip. Shit. It slips his mind just how strong the kid is. "And look, Mr. Stark, I can't. I need to finish - "

"FRIDAY, lock the kid's door," Tony calls out loudly before Peter can even get to the door handle.

"Done, boss," FRIDAY responds, somehow managing to sound a little amused.

Peter whirls around, a look of utter betrayal evident on his face. "FRI, unlock it!"

"I am sorry, Peter, but you do not have the ability to override - "

"Mr. _Stark!"_ he whines, seeming about three seconds away from stomping his foot on the ground. "I need to get this done!"

Tony puts on his best serious expression. "Call me Tony instead of Mr. Stark, and I’ll think about it."

"Are you for _real_ \- "

"Mhm."

Peter groans. He opens his mouth, pauses, grimaces, and closes it again. Finally, looking like it’s the most painful thing he’s ever done, he forces out, "_Tony. _Please?"

"Hm. Not good enough."

"What - what the hell do you mean not good enough - "

"Language, young man," Tony grins. This is way more fun than he thought it would be. "And there’s Chinese food in the kitchen, so come with me, before I physically throw your work off the roof."

-

It takes one bite to make Peter just a little less disgruntled.  
  
"I'm still mad at you," he mumbles through a mouthful of rice.

Tony shakes his head. "You love me."

"That is - " He swallows, taking a swig of Coke to push it down. "That is the opposite of true."

"You hurt my feelings, kid, you know that?"

They sit in comfortable silence at the island in the kitchen for a while, working their way through the sheer amount of food. It's a common scene in the tower, but it doesn't get any less delicious.

"Alright, I'm stuffed," Tony announces about ten minutes later, pushing his bowl away and moving towards the couch in the living room. "Movie time."

Peter stares at him from his chair. "What do you mean, movie time?"

"Did you hit your head or something? You see, a movie is this thing you watch on a screen, it's a bunch of moving pictures - "

"I know what a movie is, Mr. Stark!" Peter says, sounding a little offended. "But I told you, I need to finish - "

"Are you still on about that? I told _you,_ you are taking a break from that godforsaken homework of yours. Which is to extend for the rest of tonight."

"That's not how breaks work!"

"FRIDAY, define a break."

"A break can be defined as a pause in work, activity, or an event, boss."

"You can't just - you can't just get out your AI every time you want to prove a point!" Peter splutters. "That's - that's not allowed!"

"I invented her," Tony points out. "I can do what I want. For example, FRIDAY, can you put on Star Wars?"

The lights immediately dim at that and the TV begins to play the opening sequence. Tony adds, "Your door is still locked, by the way. So you're either gonna make me really sad and turn down my offer to watch your favorite movie of all time again, which is mean, or you're going to go get the popcorn."

Peter looks ready to argue again, but then he glances at the TV, obviously tempted by the idea of Star Wars.

He gets the popcorn.

"This is bribery," he says under his breath. Tony only laughs in response.

-

They're about an hour into the movie when Peter yawns. He shifts from his upright position to lay down on the couch, almost unconsciously moving under Tony's arm as he keeps his eyes on the TV.

"Tired, kid?" He asks, deliberately ignoring the way sleep tugs at him as well. He's old, okay? He has an excuse.

"Nuh-uh."

"Ah, yes, of course. Totally not tired at all."

Peter flaps a hand at him. "Shh," he stage-whispers. "I'm trying to _watch._"

"Says the kid that fought to go and do homework like a loser."

He doesn't respond, and Tony can't resist the urge to ruffle his hair. It's so curly, sticking in every possible direction. And if his hand stays there, absentmindedly twisting the strands between his fingers until they're both lulled to sleep? No one needs to know. 

-

Pepper drops her bag near the door as she shuts it behind her, letting out the heavy sigh that she’d been holding in all day. Being a CEO might be impressive, sure, but it was also just as tiring, and the amount of meetings she’s had in the past three days have been enough to last her a lifetime.

She makes a quick decision to head to the kitchen, so she can make herself a cup of tea before she goes to bed. When she enters the living room, though, she stops dead.

The credits to some movie is rolling on the TV, and Peter is curled up into Tony’s side, one hand lightly clutching his shirt like a baby instinctively holding someone’s finger. His hair sticks up in all different directions as he snores softly, clearly asleep. Tony, in return, has an arm wrapped around the boy’s shoulder, and seems to be just as passed out. His other hand rests softly on top of Peter’s head, and he looks peaceful, probably more so than Pepper has ever seen him.

Quietly taking out her phone, Pepper snaps a quick picture, careful to make sure the flash isn’t on. She doesn’t have it in her to wake them up.

"F.R.I.D.A.Y?"

"Yes?"

"You have footage of this, right?"

"I do."

Pepper smiles warmly. "Good."

**Author's Note:**

> will i ever make tony stop calling peter kid? the answer is no


End file.
